CORTONA | The archaeological sites of the area

Etruscan grave of Mezzavia: another example of the Etruscan funerary tradition

The area nearby Cortona, especially the one of Sodo, is full of the witnesses of the Etruscan population. Among the Tanella di Pitagora and the Tanella Angori, there is another grave: the Etruscan grave of Mezzavia. This tomb is located in the location Peciano – il Passaggio. This place has got a peculiar name, in fact, as all the names of locations, hides something. When the Valdichiana was still invaded by the water of the swamp, this area was a small bay, where people used to make the process so called impeciatura. It is the process of boat waterproofing. This should by the reason why Peciano is the name of this little area. Other sources, more official, tells that the name Peciano came from the word Petkes: the name of an ancient rich Etruscan family, that lived in this property probably since fifth/sixth century BC. We could know this information, because there is an engraving etched around one of the sides. The engraving says: arnt p[e]tkes : veinal; and so, this can lead back the Petkes family. The Petkes family appears also in another important Etruscan finding of the area: the Tabula Cortonensis. The noble mentioned in the Tabula, probably gave rise to the place name of Peciano. Near Peciano there is the Etruscan tomb of Mezzavia, that brigs back to the Petkes family. The chamber tomb is dug in tuff and it was randomly discovered in 1950 by a labourer on the land owned by Novelli family. The grave was lately studied by Guglielmo Maetzke on behalf of Archaeological Superintendence.